Perhaps you have noticed that commercial architecture lining roads in Maryland and Virginia looks more or less the same and not much different from strip malls and boxy stores lining roads in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio or Oregon. [...] Why do housing developments and retail shopping facilities look so much alike, given how much Americans value individuality, freedom of expression and independence?
— washingtonpost.com

4 Comments

Developer-Americans are who build commercial architecture, and developer-Americans value their own profit return far more than silly ideals like "individuality, freedom of expression, and independence". If it made a profit in Virginia, it's a safe bet that it will also make one in Jersey. Which means if consumer-Americans want to see individuality etc. in their commercial architecture, they need to not shop/eat/live in places that don't have those values.

Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything. - Charles Kuralt

If we are speaking about big time commercialism, its about marketing and what the consumer expects. If you the consumer want something different, then demand it. It not only works on the items you find on the shelves, but in our cities too. We as a "American" society have completely abdicated our responsibilities. Totally given control over to someone else while we absorbe ourselves with our store bought gadgets. And now we wonder why everythings sucks. Get off your butts and do something about it. If you don't like the way our cities look, then go to zoning boards and speak your mind. As an architect/student (hell, as a citizen) stand up.

We have not seen any mass protest here since the late 60s and I think we have completely forgotten that we have that right. If you don't like it change it.

Robert Venturi wrote about this human need for familiarity. Not everything needs to be shocking. Gehry understands this well, which is why he placed at least one of his familiar compositions in every large city. Hadid is next.